Main
Daniel B. Turner
I currently harness big datasets and statistical models to parameterize patterns in ecology. I have studied animals and plants from across the Americas, and I seek to develop novel data science methods to faciliate mulitlateral knowledge exchange between technical and non-technical audiences.
Education
PhD Student, Entomology and Ecology, Evolutionary, and Behavior
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI
current - 2018
- Temporal dynamics in plant-insect interactions
- Fulbright Open Research Fellow, MSU Plant Science Fellow
B.S., Environmental Science & Spanish Lanugage, Literature, and Linguistics (minor: Biology)
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
2018 - 2014
Publications
Effects of landscape urbanization and local plant diversity on predatory arthropod community assembly and ecosystem services
Manuscript in prep
N/A
N/A
- Turner, D.B. and J.E. Behm
Coding for broader impact: Leveraging field biologists’ programming skills for effective public communication.
Manuscript available upon request
N/A
N/A
- Turner, D.B., Behm, J.E., and M.R. Helmus
A new species of Caribbean toad (Bufonidae, Peltophryne) from southern Hispaniola
Zootaxa - PDF
N/A
2018
- Landestoy, M.A., Turner, D.B., Marion, A.B., and S.B. Hedges
Mapping the way to carbon neutrality: addressing carbon emissions from transportation at the Monteverde Friends School.
CIEE Sustainability and the Environment, Spring 2016*
N/A
2016
- Turner, D.B.
- *not peer-reviewed
Software Development
c4bi: Coding for broader impact
R package leveraging ecologists’ programming skills for effective public communication.
N/A
N/A
Research Experience
To me, data science and the humanities are interdependent; statistical significance cannot be interpreted well without meaningful context.
Graduate Research Assistant
Wetzel Lab
Michigan State University
current - 2018
- Conducting meta-analysis on introduced plants and their novel interactions with local herbivore communities
- Investigating priority effects on temporal ecology using the tall goldenrod Solidago altissima - herbivore model system
Undergraduate Researcher
Integrative Ecology Lab
Temple University
2018 - 2017
- Studied varation in arthropod predator community assembly along an urbanization gradient in southeastern Pennsylvania
Undergraduate Researcher
Hedges Lab
Temple University
2018 - 2015
- Performed PCR and created phylogenetic trees for newly-discovered toad species from the Dominican Republic
- Collected and analyzed morphological trait data from Hispaniolan frogs
Teaching Experience
For my students and mentees, I seek to provide an open and accepting environment with hands-on experience in ecology, statistics, and tidy data principles.
Statistical Methods for Temporal Ecology
MSU Department of Entomology
East Lansing, MI
2020 - 2020
- Co-taught graduate seminar in time series analysis (ARIMA, Bayesian time series analysis)
- 9 students
Insects, Globalization, and Sustainability Laboratory
MSU Center for Integrative Studies
East Lansing, MI
2020 - 2019
- Taught laboratory course for non-STEM majors in insect biology and statistics
- 160 students across two semesters
Principles of Ecology
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA
2018 - 2018
- Teaching assistant; wrote quizzes and held study sessions
- 200 students
Research and Travel Funding
total = $21,670
N/A
N/A
N/A
MSU Hutson Research Grant ($2,500)
N/A
N/A
2020
MSU Kellogg Biological Station Research Fellowship ($2,500)
N/A
N/A
2020
Fulbright Open Research Grant, Brazil ($15,000)
N/A
N/A
2020
Council for Graduate Students Conference Award ($300)
N/A
N/A
2020
MSU Kellogg Biological Station Research Fellowship ($2,250)
N/A
N/A
2019
MSU Kellogg Biological Station Undergraduate Mentorship Grant ($1,000)
N/A
N/A
2019
Temple University Diamond Research Scholars Program ($4,000)
N/A
N/A
2017
Temple University Creative Arts, Research, and Academic Scholarship ($3,120)
N/A
N/A
2017
Temple University Undergraduate Research Program Grant ($4,000)
N/A
N/A
2016
Temple University Educational Enhancement Merit Stipend ($4,000)
N/A
N/A
2016
Honors and Awards
National Science Foundation – Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention
N/A
N/A
2020
Michigan State University Plant Sciences Graduate Recruitment Fellowship ($41,729)
N/A
N/A
2018
Phi Beta Kappa, Temple University
N/A
N/A
2018
Temple University Natan Luehrmann-Cowen Memorial Award ($700)
N/A
N/A
2018
Ecological Society of America Mid-Atlantic Annual Meeting, Honorable Mention for Undergraduate Oral Presentation ($100)
N/A
N/A
2018
Sigma Delta Pi, Spanish Language National Honor Society
N/A
N/A
2017
Sigma Gamma Eplison, Earth Science National Honor Society
N/A
N/A
2017
Temple University Dean’s Scholarship ($28,000)
N/A
N/A
2014
Union League of Philadelphia Scholarship ($32,000)
N/A
N/A
2014
Temple University Honors Program
N/A
N/A
2014
Presentations
Comparing insect herbivore community structure across plants’ native and novel ranges: A meta-analysis.
American Naturalist National Meeting
Asilomar, CA
2020
- Turner, D.B. and Wetzel, W.C.
Arthropod predator community assemblage across a land cover gradient.
Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting
New Orleans, LA
2018
- Turner, D.B. and J.E. Behm
Arthropod predator community assemblage across a land cover gradient.
Temple Undergraduate Research Forum
Philadelphia, PA
2018
- Turner, D.B. and J.E. Behm
Arthropod predator community assemblage across a land cover gradient.
Ecological Society of America Mid-Atlantic Meeting.
Newark, NJ
2018
- Turner, D.B. and J.E. Behm
Mapping the way to carbon neutrality: addressing carbon emissions from transportation at the Monteverde Friends School.
Global Temple Conference.
Philadelphia, PA
2016
- Turner, D.B.